As a gentleman, you might occasionally appreciate a well-crafted cocktail. But how often to do you actually think about the ingredients? I mean, really think about where that booze came from and how it was made?

On today’s episode, Amy Stewart and I talk about her fascinating book The Drunken Botanist, and how every alcohol known to man has one common origin: plants. Amy shares how throughout history man has tried to ferment nearly everything, why you need a “cocktail garden,” and why the stories behind some drinks are often just as intoxicating as the liquors themselves.

Amy Stewart

Hey gents, I’ve got a great episode for you. Once again, my guest is Amy Stewart. She is the New York Times best-selling author of nine books, including The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants, Flower Confidential, and a series of novels. Amy’s books have been translated into 16 different languages, and she has won numerous awards. You might have heard Amy on NPR’s Morning Edition or Fresh Air, and she’s been featured in the New York Times, Good Morning America, PBS, Cake Boss, and many more places.

Amy travels the country as a public speaker and has presented at Cornell, Harvard, and even corporate offices like Google, where it was rumored that she served tequila and nearly broke the internet. I’d heard about her book The Drunken Botanist from a mixologist in Miami a few years ago, so it was an honor to get to chat with Amy on the podcast.

Episode Highlights

Why the earliest alcohol (accidentally) served as a survival mechanism

Why corn was so popular for making alcohol in the early years of the US

The “Monkey Puzzle Tree” and other bizarre plants that are fermented around the world

Why we are currently living in the golden age of alcohol

How Amy first became interested in the connection between botany and booze

The swashbuckling nature of botanical history: adventures on the high sea, murder, and mayhem

The truth about Benjamin Franklin and the origin of spruce beer

Why Amy created a “poison garden” and the later replaced it with a “cocktail garden”

You might also like...

About Kyle Ingham

Kyle Ingham is the Founder and Editor of The Distilled Man, an online channel that helps everyday guys become well-rounded gentlemen. Kyle is a husband, new father, blogger, podcaster, and a recovering advertising executive. For the past 7 years, he's been helping men learn the essential skills and knowledge they need to become better, more confident men. Kyle enjoys Bourbon, burritos and the occasional pirate joke. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and son.